Journal d'une courtisane

by Priya Parmar

Londres, XVIIe siècle. Pour éviter de suivre le destin de sa soeur devenue prostituée, Ellen "Nell" Gwyn devient marchande d'oranges au théâtre royal de Covent Garden. Rapidement, les propriétaires du lieu remarquent son charme et sa finesse d'esprit, et lui offrent une place dans la compagnie. Dès lors, elle n'aura de cesse de grimper les échelons, de figurante à actrice principale. Bientôt, c'est l'attention du roi lui-même qu'elle retient.

Charles II a la réputation d'être un souverain libertin, mais son coeur ne résiste pas longtemps à la personnalité flamboyante de Nell. Cependant, la cour voit d'un mauvais oeil l'arrivée de cette femme moderne qui bouleverse les règles établies... Une héroïne captivante qui a réellement existé : féministe avant l'heure, Nell a marqué son époque en usant de son influence auprès du roi pour accorder plus de droits aux femmes.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, British Literature, Romance, 17th Century, Royalty

547 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2011

About the author

Priya Parmar is the author of the novels Exit the Actress and Vanessa and Her Sister, a New York Times Notable Book, as well as co-author of the musical Sylvia (London Old Vic) nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Original Musical. Her forthcoming novel, The Original, will be published by Ballantine in April 2026. She lives with her family and four rescue dogs.

Reviews

[Rick-Founder JM CM BOOK CLUB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exit the Actress: A Novel by Priya Parmar is quite simply one of the most original, engaging and well written novel I have come across in many a year. Written through diary entires, Letters, Official Announcements, invitations ect- the reader is immersed into 17th Century London, through the eyes of Nell, a poor "Oyster Girl" who grows up to be a stage star and Mistress of Royalty. That Ms. Parmer can create such a real and human character is nothing short of breathtaking. This book is, without doubt,the first book of a MAJOR new talent in historical fiction.
Rick Friedman
Founder
THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB

[Misha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a historical fiction fan, I am always on the look out for new books or new authors in this genre. When I first came across Exit the Actress, it was the blurb on the cover by Philippa Gregory that attracted me to the book. I had never heard of Nell Gwyn since I had not read books from that time period of British history. I immediately read up on Nell Gwyn and my interest in this book was piqued even more. When I became a regular reader of the author's wonderful blog - The Plum Bean Project - I started having a whole lot of expectations from the book . Well, I was not disappointed at all!

I started liking Nell right from the first time she is introduced in the book. If Nell existed today, I would love to be her friend and have a good laugh with her. If she was as entertaining and clever as the author has depicted in the book, I can completely understand why everyone around her seemed to be enamoured by her. Nell - as captured by Priya Parmar- is warm, passionate, vivacious and so very alive. I loved her voice which is captured so eloquently by Miss. Parmar. Her voice shines through the pages of the novel, captivating the reader. It almost feels like Nell is right in front of you, speaking to you directly. When you instantly connect with a characters who lived years before your time, that's when you know that the author really has a way with words.

Since it's written in a diary entry form, the book somehow felt more personal. Nell is just the kind of heroine anyone would love - strong and determined. I loved her humorous and witty diary entries. Exit the Actress depicts her remarkable rise from a mere "orange girl" to the King's mistress. She was admired by the people of London, the court and of course, the King himself. Nell's story engaged my attention right from the beginning and I felt I was with her through her triumphs and sorrows. I was sorry to reach the last page because I missed her already.

The portrait, the author has painted of London during the reign of King Charles II and the theater world is vibrant, colourful and memorable. 17th century London has been brought to life - the streets, the smells, the people and even the poverty. There's a little bit of everything- royalty, politics, romance and major events of that time like the plague. All this has been incorporated and seen through Nell's eyes. Apart from Nell's diary entries, Exit the Actress has been written through letters, journals etc. One of my favourite parts was the gossip column by "Ambrose Pink". It was hilarious since it seemed so real, like something that you would read in today's gossip magazines. People still remain the same after all. Whether today or in the 17th century, gossip never really fails to capture our attention. Does it ? :)

Another character I loved is Teddy. He's so loveable and amusing. The author makes us care deeply for the characters. Exit the Actess is written in a way that relly made me experience the characters' lives; it did not feel like I was reading about completely unrelatable set of people who lived more than hundred years before me.

Priya Parmar is an author to look out for in the historical fiction fiction genre. Considering that this is the author's debut novel, I can't help but applaud the author for an immensely compelling novel. I will be eagerly waiting for her next book.

Overall:
A riveting portrayal of Nell Gwyn, the mistress to King Charles II.

Recommended?
Yes! Especially if you are a historical fiction fan.

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's rare that I feel compelled to provide a review of this book, but I feel I must in this instance, both as a historian with an academic interest in the area and a voracious reader of historical fiction.

Upon reading the initial description of this novel online, I was hopeful with some reservations about the way in which it was compiled. The idea of a storyline from memoranda is, in theory, a very good one. However, in practice, this wasn't the case. There was no continuity between the various articles used and often enough, these sections ran contrary to the main storyline or had no relevance to it whatsoever. Thus they became very grating, very quickly. This wasn't helped by the inappropriate language that Parmar chose to use. The modern day vernacular doesn't work in a novel set in the 17th century. In particular, the letters between Charles II and his various relatives was much, much too familiar. These letters sounded as they were written: like 21st century notes that had been foisted into a novel set four hundred years previously. Naturally, this language issue was transcribed into the main diary storyline as well. All in all, it ruined any sense of authenticity regarding the setting. It ensured that there wasn't even a vague sense of accuracy about the setting. This makes me question just how well Parmar did her research. Although she's gotten a lot of her dates in the right place (some are clearly nothing more than speculation), this is about the only place in which it's obvious she did ANY research about the period. The fullness and jollity of the Restoration Era was conspicuously absent from the book. She quotes and includes the usual Dryden, Rochester and Behn - but it's painfully clear she's not read anything to do with their lives, but has rather ushered them in out of necessity to bulk the novel up. Bad form.


My other complaint lies in the fact that there was very little plotline. At all. It just seemed to rather predictably repeat the well-known life story of Nell Gwynn. Many other authors have done the same thing, but with much greater aplomb. The odd diary and memorandum format meant that the novel became almost entirely devoid of motion or dramatic progression. The story just kept coming and coming, but there was very little to further it on. It was almsot as if the author relied entirely upon just the fact the Nell was living to continue the book. When the ending eventually did arrive, it did so in an odd place. Like only half the story had been told, or that Parmar had gotten bored of writing and didn't wish to follow the story out until Nell's death. Thus, the reader leaves her just before the birth of her first child. There is SO much more life to Nell after this point. We lose a lot of Nell's possible personality with Parmar's writing style. Others like Diane Haeger, Susan Holloway Scott and Gillian Bagwell seem to strive to capture the witty personality that history records Nell as possessing. There's nothing of the sort here, and again, I think that is because of the odd choice in narrative format.

It has taken me a very long time to get through this novel - over two months in fact - when I can usually get through a 400 odd page HistFic novel in a couple of days or less. I had to force myself to keep reading, despite the overall dullness, because I love this period so very much. I will not be revisiting this book, or any other that may be accredited to Ms Parmar in future. Although she clearly can write at reasonably high leve, I don't think she's suited to fiction.

[Catherine · Rating 1 out of 5]

*DNF*

I made it to page 156 and finally gave up. I couldn't get into the format. It sounded really interesting in theory, but the actual execution didn't do it for me. It felt too scattered to tell a consistent story. It was like the Twitter version of Nell Gwynn's life. Not really my style.

[Natasa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exit the Actress is an entertaining book about the life of Nell Gwyn, favorite mistress of Charles II in England. It moves briskly, covering 8 years of her life and introducing many characters from the royal court.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am loving this book. In my heart of hearts, I believe we are seeing the start of the next Phillipa Gregory, one of my favorite writers. I am having a bit of difficulties with the diary style of writing, but the authentic language makes up for it. So often, authors take such disgusting liberties with historical fiction that it is either hit or miss with me. This book is definitely a hit. I can't wait to see more by Priya and will be looking out for future works.

[CoffeeBook Chick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books sweep you away into their world, but historical fiction makes you live in it.

Exit the Actress by Priya Parmar takes place in the mid-1600s and tells the story of Ellen Gwynn, also known as Nell. Starting out as an orange seller to the audience during theater productions, and with a mother who is an alcoholic and a sister who is a prostitute, Nell rises into the world of stage acting and catches the eye of King Charles. Simultaneously becoming a friend to his queen, Nelly also becomes mistress to him. This could certainly present a problem, but Ellen's a sweet young woman who doesn't have ill intentions. She simply loves her man, loves her family, and loves her friends and she tells her story through journal entries, and it's one that truly captures the imagination effectively.

Ellen was very much the people's actress, a young woman who rose up through society's ranks and became one with the King's courts, gallivanting with them on trips to the countryside, and developing relationships with noted historical figures. It was such a simple task to connect with Ellen and I found every single journal entry to be so engaging and cleverly written. I blushed in certain spots, giggled in others, and raged against injustices. I was hooked on the story, and the story didn't let me go.

Priya Parmar did one heck of a job keeping the story relatable to contemporary times without losing any edge of the 1600s. Her attention to detail was both breathtaking and refreshing, and my personal favorites were the snippets of articles written by the gossip columnist of the times, along with mentions of proper etiquette of a lady. Recipes for curing common ills were oftentimes hilarious, and I giggled with glee awaiting those moments of insight. This is a wonderfully creative story! Well done to the author and I look forward to the next book! (By the way I found myself so interested in stage acting during the 1600s. I blame Priya Parmar for the hours I've spent on my Mac having the most fun researching this topic...)

If you like historical fiction, go get this one. You won't be disappointed. You'll enjoy each endearing page as the story unfolds.

[KOMET · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little over a month ago, I had the pleasure of attending Miss Parmar's book reading/signing at a Barnes and Noble bookstore, where she autographed my copy of this book.

Prior to reading this book, all I knew about Nell Gwyn was that she was a famous actress in her day and the mistress of King Charles II of England.

Now, having finished this book today, I very much enjoyed the entree Miss Parmar gave me into Nell's life, as well as into Restoration England. Nell seemed very much like a real person to me, which says a lot about a writer's ability to breathe life into a figure long dead and somewhat obscured by history.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fabulous read, and a perfect example of absolutely EVERYTHING that historical fiction should be! Wonderfully engaging real people as delighful characters, a true peek into the daily life of the period, and a highly unique and cleverly entertaining way to tell the story.

The book tells the slightly fictionalized - although most people and events are accurate - story of the life of Ellen "Nell" Gwyn, the long-term mistress of King Charles II of England. Nell began life as the illegitimate child of a drunken mother, who made her money by prostituting Nell's elder sister Rose. Nell refuses that life, instead becoming an actress, which at the time, was considered only a slightly less scandalous profession. Because of her charm, intelligence and fierce independance, Nell endears herself to everyone around her, eventually charming even the King himself.

This book is wonderfully and cleverly presented in an ingenious variety of communications from the time which come together to tell the entirety of the story. Mainly, we are given entries from Nell's own journal, but we are also provided with letters between King Charles and his mother and sister, both of whom resided in France, updates from the meetings of the Privy Council's business, installments from the gossip columns of the day, playbills from Nell's theatre about the performances she gave, and even entries from the "Lady's Household Companion" which offers us health and beauty remedies and recipes of the times, such as "Plague Water".

While it might sound awkward to have the story told by so many differing voices, in fact it is just the opposite! The author has done such a good job researching the times, and has such a wonderful writing style and organization of the various components that the varying voices not only tell the story smoothly, but the variety and charm of the various sources is highly enjoyable and entertaining!

The story spans virtually Nell's entire life, and takes the reader through the political and social upheavals of the time with a gentle touch and a clear love and respect for the era. The discussions of things like the Plague ravaging London, the great fire of London, and the challenges King Charles faced, from both his troublesome mistresses - not Nell! - and his financial difficulties are handled accurately but in an extemely entertaining manner. It truly does feel like one is an invisible observer who can be behind the curtains of the rooms in which the main characters spent their lives.

I generally read fairly quickly, but I was enjoying this story so much that I found myself slowing down, and even reading some sections several times because I was enjoying the story and the characters so much that I just didn't want to get to the end and have to say goodbye to them.

Hands down, "Exit the Actress" is one of THE best historical fiction books I've ever read - and historical fiction is one of my favourite genres. I absolutely loved it, and highly recommend it as a fantastic read!!

[Michelle Leger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Exit the Actress, is a historical fiction based in the period of King Charles II reign. It is the story of one of his many mistresses, Ellen Gwyn, a spunky and famous actress on stage at the Royal King's theatre. It follows her path from poor, lowly orange seller at the theatre, narrowly escaping prostitution like her sister. Through luck becomes noticed and allowed small parts in the theatre's company, and she eventually rises as the star player. She is introduced to wealthy suitors that frequent the King's court, has affairs with a few, to finally catch the eye of the King and becomes his main paramour.

This sounded like an interesting tale and I wanted to see how someone with such rough and humble beginnings could eventually end up living at Windsor Castle with her own private rooms and servants, only second to the Queen. But this book just didn't work for me. Ellen is depicted as this saint but is two faced and amoral. It goes on and on about how her sister is tainted because she is a prostitute, but saintly Ellen is a mistress which is different. Every man that kept her as a mistress was instrumental in advancing her career, from introducing her to the right people, feeding and clothing her, buying her houses and carriages, and anything else she desired. She obtained all her success by lying on her back. Let's call a spade a spade. She was a whore just like her sister. If the author had just allowed her to be what she truly was, this could of been an entertaining story. However, she cast Ellen as some sort of pure, perfect, innocent rose who was above all the conniving and the debaucherous English court. Gag. I could barely choke down the end of this book. Look, I get it. This was the restoration period, it was a scandalous time. But the author does Ellen a disservice and casts this actress in a role that not even her acting skills could hide, the sweet English rose, that's really a high paid prostitute.

Of note, there was some interesting history in the background of the book. The London plaque in 1665, which killed a quarter of the population and later that year the horrible London Fire, that gutted half the city. Bad year! The ongoing war with the Dutch and Charles's complicated relationship with the French court, his cousin Louis XIV. The real life characters from the Royal theatre were probably the most entertaining part of the book, from poet laureate John Dryden to Aphra Behn, English spy and first women playwright! Now, she would be someone interesting to read about.

[Ruth Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book because a historical fiction group here on goodreads was reading it. I had planned to participate in their book reading, but I had so many other things going on, I was actually unable to do so. I am glad to say that I persevered and finally finished it. And all I can say is that I am glad I did!

I can't recommend this book highly enough. When I was "forced" to set this book aside for other endeavors, I actually resented it! I wanted to read this book and find out what happened to Nell (she's the main character). This is my kind of book in the extreme. It is historical fiction at its height. The author has researched everything very well, and almost every person in the book is a literal, historical character. Many of the events actually occurred--even some of the more bizarre ones. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it when historical fiction authors research their topics in great detail, and Priya Parmar certainly did her homework.

I think the author had a stroke of genius when she chose to use Nell's own voice to tell this thoroughly entertaining story. I have to say that there was never a dull moment in this book. And I learned so much about history. I verified a lot of it with my history expert in England (my best friend).

Indeed, this book had it all--romance, heartache, history, villains, intrigue, humor--and no bad language or intimate sex scenes! Yes! If you haven't read it, go out and get a copy today!

[Siberia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and Nell as heroine for much of the book. However, I found myself growing more and more annoyed at the contradictions in her character as the book progressed. On the one hand, she is supposed to be independent and guileless but she lets Buckingham buy her a new wardrobe and take her to court so she can seduce the King and manipulate him on Buckingham's behalf. Also, about half way through the book, Nell starts pining about how loving her family was - although earlier in the book, her mother is portrayed as a drunk who pressures her eldest daughter into prostitution. She loves the Queen, but doesn't mind sleeping with her husband. The contradictions aren't integrated into the story or explained by it, so it felt inconsistent to me.
I am not an historian, but I found it interesting that the author chose a diary format for the novel when Nell was supposedly illiterate. History seems to indicate that Nell was probably a little coarser and more savvy than she is portrayed here, as well.
Despite my nitpicking, I found the book enjoyable, the characters mostly interesting and well-developed, and the world rich and believable. I would definitely recommend this for historical fiction enthusiasts.

[History · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was loaned an arc of this marvelous book and simply couldn't put it down. ( I actually felt dismay at the dwindling number of pages still to be read as i got near the end!) Priya Parmar"s fresh approach to historical fiction is utterly engaging. The style is a collage of diary entries, newspaper articles, court circulars, household remedies and other documents, cleverly invented by the author. Nell is not a cockney stereotype, but more factually based, as are all the other wonderfully drawn characters in the book. She is huge fun, nuanced and loveable. Two characters, Teddy and the Earl of Rochester each deserve a book of their own because they are so amusing and interesting. These are all people you want to know and be friends with. It is remarkable for a first-time author to be so sure- footed. I undertstand why such illustrious writers have backed an unknown author. This book is a knock-out. I read Rick's (from the James Mason Book Club) review of Exit the Actress and totally agree with him.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ellen ("Nell") Gwynn has always fascinated me, and this book immersed me in Nell's world. Told through her journals, letters, snippets from gossip columns, and other sources, Ms. Parmar paints a brilliant picture of life in London between 1662 and 1670. The sights and smells, the food and drink, the life of the rich and the poor are brought to vivid life. The inside look at theater life, the royal court, and the events of those times -- the plague, the Great Fire, international politics -- are all explored with fresh eyes. Most of the book details Nell's life before the beginning of her affair with Charles II, but he is always there on the fringes of her life, until their affair is finally consummated. A beautifully rendered novel, which will be enjoyed by all. I look forward to Ms. Parmar's next book.

[Stella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading historical novels because of the couple hour-long time travel they take me on. I love getting a glimpse of 15th century Engtland and the Tudor court or seeing how things (politics, wars, alliances, love and marriages) were done back then, to see how people lived their every day life at that time.

Exit the Actress brought me to a time period previously unknown to me: the Restoration period. Through Priya Parmar's debut novel I got to know England of the 17th century, and most specifically the world of theatre at that time.

Exit the Actress tells us the life story of Ellen Gwyn; how a young girl from modest background, a simple 'orange girl' rose to fame as one of the most renowned and beloved actresses of the time and became the mistress and love of the king, Charles II.

Ellen is a very likable young girl, her naivety and candour make her a trusted and genuine character. Her warmth, honesty and vivacity shine through the story and make it easy to understand why everyone flocked to her 'light', and wished to be in her entourage.

Besides Ellen as the protagonist, Priya Parmar introduced a dozen of well developed, three dimensional historical characters. My personal favourites were Hart (warmhearted, generous, loving Hart) who was Ellen's mentor, lover and a bit of a father-figure/protector, Rochester with his dark intensity and Teddy (famous actor of the time renowned for playing female roles). Teddy brought so much light, colour, humour and levity to the story! His catchphrase "quel glamour" always managed to make me smile and worked wonderfully peppered in the text, subtly nuancing Ellen's narrative. What I found amazing is that I expected the theatre company to be ruled by rivalry, cattiness but instead Hart and the company were like a warm loving family to Ellen, and seeing her less than ideal childhood it was heartwarming to see how these people genuinely cared about her.

One of the aspects of this novel I loved the most is that although most historical novels only focus on the romance storyline, in Exit the Actress Priya Parmar first and foremost focused on Ellen and her life: how she became the person she was, her family, her friends, her career and her lovers. I loved how with Exit the Actress Priya Parmar declared that Nell shouldn't only be remembered due to her being mistress to Charles II but because of everything she had achieved and the person she had been, and being a royal mistress was only one small (even if important) side of her life.


"Your sparkle came from your secret, Ellen. [...]"

"My secret?" I asked not following.

"You were yourself by your own right. However much it may have looked like you were in someone's possession. That was your great secret. That is why you sparkled beyond all others. You were free."


Though Exit the Actress is Ellen's story told mainly from her narrative through her journal entries, I enjoyed that Priya Parmar broadened the picture and scope of the novel by including snippets of correspondence between Charles II and his sister, gazette articles, home recipes and minutes of government meetings. They all helped in shaping in the readers' mind what London and England at that time must have been: bustling, colourful, busy and on the verge of important changes. Priya Parmar excelled in capturing the atmosphere of the time and brininging back to life a bustling historical period overlooked and long forgotten.


It was also wonderful how in the portrayal of Charles II in Exit the Actress Priya Parmar showed us the man behind the crown and title of king. Through Charles' correspondence with Minette and his mother we saw a personal, unreserved, playful yet due to its honesty vulnerable portrayal of the man ruling England.

The Queen Mother's letter to Charles II:

"For Heaven's sake Charles, stop frolicking through the countryside like a milkmaid and get a tighter rein on your government. [...] How can you be writing to King Louis for money? Where is your own money? Taxes, Charles, taxes create a revenue. This should not be difficult for you to grasp. You are king - rule for God's sake."


Exit the Actress is not a hictorical fairy tale, it retains its connection to reality by showing the shadier side of the time: the dirt, poverty, prostitution and devastation caused by the plague and the big fire of London. And thanks to the narrative not glossing over these important facets of everyday life back then, the story remains authentic and believable.

Verdict: Priya Parmar's wonderful debut novel is breathtaking in giving us such a vibrant, lush and colourful retelling of the Restoration period and the theatre scene back then. Priya Parmar's talent - besides painting the canvas with such colourful strokes - lies in how real the world she depicts seems: her characters step off the pages and the readers don't feel that the story they are reading about is 400 years away. Oh no, she brings 17th century London and long deceased characters back to life with such vibrant vivacity that the story comes to life.

Exit the Actress is a riveting debut novel, which I recommend to all historical fiction fans!

[Maree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, I remember what my problem with historical fiction is. It's when authors take not only just the time and place, but the characters of the past as well and put them into their writing. When I say this, please imagine me being a general as possible, because I'm not directly talking about this book (which I enjoyed) specifically. But for me, when authors take really famous people from the past and put them into their own story, it's usually too much like fanfiction for me. I don't like that authors can do what they like with these real people, put them in whatever mindset they like and create any reasons they like for major decisions they made, etc. Historical fiction is just too close to historical for me; I want to believe this is what the person was actually like, but there's usually very little evidence (because it's fiction) that this author's interpretation is true. This may just be a grudge of mine where I mixed up my historical fiction with historical reality too much as a child, but nevertheless, I'm usually not very pleased when authors have the audacity to speak for someone long dead in whatever way they like. And this is why I tend to shy away from historical fiction.

But, I liked this book very much, despite it being based upon real people. And true to my above stigmas, I very much enjoyed the character of Ellen with her life and brightness, who not much is known about, and disliked the correspondences between King Charles II and his sister, the Queen of France, giving their opinions (the author's opinion on their opinions) on historical matters.

The book is formed as a series of Ellen's journal entries, with the state's daily business notes and letters from the King, his mother and sister interspersed throughout. I tended to skim through the later two parts, finding them not as intriguing as Ellen's story, which kept me rapt. Her journey from an orange seller to actress to mistress of the king was marvelous, made real enough that I thought it could actually be a true interpretation of events. Within the journals, I enjoyed the characterization of the King and Queen along with other major players of the time. The only characterizations I did not enjoy were that of Dryden and Aphra Behn (especially Behn). Otherwise, the story flows in a lovely way, and Nell will catch your heart just as she caught the heart of audiences while alive.

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

i really enjoyed learning about ellen gwyn and her life. she seemed to be an unusual woman of her time, and really of any time - fiercely independent, seeking after her own heart, not only in love but in her passion for her work. i find that unusual in most women (and men!) and i was overjoyed to read her story. she was inspiring. i also had to keep remembering how young she was! i realize her age was normal for the time, but it still continued to baffle me throughout the read. i thought the characters were all very vivid. i especially liked johnny rochester, in all his drama, and i could really imagine the face of castlemaine and other unsavory characters.

priya's writing is beautiful, and she particularly conveys moments of passion and desire with such eloquence and beauty. she says so much with such few words, which is usually how love is. i was so pleased to discover this! i find that most times, writers i am a fan of disappoint in this department. in this way, her writing reminds me of charlotte bronte, and priya's ability to tell the love story between nell and the king was particularly strong.

as i dove right into the book before reading anything about it (including the author comments in the back), and i was curious why she chose to use a diary style. the book to me felt like a play. i kept wanting it to BE a play, since the diary writing contained so many back-and-forth bits of dialogue and often felt as if you were in the moment (a credit to the author!). but then i thought, the story of an actress in play format?? that is either too corny or just perfect, and i decided it would be too corny! still, the diary format was hard for me at first, not being one who would normally read a book in such a form, and at times the design throughout the book, although beautiful, distracted me. i did get used to it and grow to like it, since i found it particularly charming to think of the author reading actual playbills and documents and then creating her own.

this book has got me interested in historical fiction! imagine! i have read a few novels based in a historical time, but nothing as specific as this (two people's relationship taken from history). i will look forward to her next book and entertain the thought of reading other historical fiction as well!

[Sara the Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delicious, little confection of a novel that chronicles the life and times of Ellen "Nell" Gwynn who history remembers as perhaps the most beloved of King Charles II mistresses (and the dude had A LOT of mistresses).

With a light comic hand that still manages to convey a great deal of emotion and a wonderful voice that perfectly fits this decadent, volatile time in English history Priya Parmar presents Nell as a good hearted but ambitious woman with a clear headed understanding of what she needs to do to succeed but a strong moral compass and a firm grasp of what she will NOT do.

I love historical fiction that really drops me right into the time period and Parmar does just that. You can smell the air and feel the energy that the pleasure loving King Charles infused the streets of London with. As a veteran board treader I loved the view into the world of restoration theatre when women had just been given the right to perform and going to the theatre was just as much about being seen as it was seeing the latest play. Indeed I cannot remember reading another book that swept me so completely into a another time and place quite the way Ms. Parmar manages to.

This is also what I like to call "smart chick lit." Yeah, yeah, yeah its for girls, my husband wouldn't like it, but its intelligent and witty and assumes that the reader knows enough history going in to not need a lot of pointless exposition about political climates and court intrigue. Any writer who gives me enough credit to find my own footing and trusts I'll get the joke will win a fan for life.

I'm sure its being suggested that Parmar is comparable to Phillipa Gregory but I'd say she far surpasses that author who took a decent idea like "The Other Boleyn Girl" and proceeded to milk it for every possible drop of money she could get, historical context, accuracy and interesting story lines be damned. Parmar is far more interested in writing about Nell's life and who she might have been. She breathes so much vitality into the character and her world that you do truly feel the period come alive. Brava Ms. Parmar! Encore, encore!

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually started this book sometime in mid-to-late October, but was trying to juggle it with some other books and I was just getting confused trying to read multiple books at one time.

This book grabbed me right from the beginning, which is probably the reason I put it down in order to finish the other books. I think I would never have finished the other books I was reading while reading Exit the Actress because I was enjoying this the most. SO, I picked it up again in November, and I absolutely LOVED everything about this book.

I love the style Priya Parmar uses to tell the story, and the story really is a fascinating one. I was somewhat familiar with Restoration England, King Charles II, John Wilmot - Second Earl of Rochester, and just a little familiar with Nell Gwyn. But now that I've read this book, I understand SO MUCH about this time period, and I feel that I really understand so much about Nell Gwyn and her life and the reasons she made the choices she made.

The only disappointing thing about Exit the Actress is that the book had to end!!! Seriously -- I LOVED being in the world of Restoration England and the court of King Charles II, the theatre of the time and all the characters associated with it -- I just enjoyed the story so much and I did not want it to end. I love Priya Palmer's writing. She has a way of really drawing the reader into this incredible world to the point that I felt as though I was part of it.

I'm looking forward to Priya's next book, which I believe is set during World War I.

Thank you, Priya!!! Exit the Actress is fabulous!!!

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exit the Actress is based on the life of Nell Gwyn, a well-known Restoration actress and long-time mistress of Charles II. Gwyn is a truly intriguing historical figure, so Parmar had a lot of potential to work with here and I think it fell flat.

The novel is written in the form of a diary that spans Nell's life from her childhood living in poverty, to her work selling oranges in the theater, to her beginnings and eventual evolution on the stage, to her relationship with the king. Her friendships with actors and members of high society open up more and more doors for her and completely transform her life, while her family sinks deeper into poverty.

Other narrative formats, such as playbills, correspondence, and a gossip column, are interspersed with Nell's diary entries. I didn't mind most of these but I really hated Ambrose Pink's columns, which were way too modern-sounding. The rest of the novel doesn't always stay true to the seventeenth century, but the gossip column was the most glaringly obvious departure. However, Parmar also throws in period-appropriate pieces of London history, which I liked; these include the plague, the great fire, and the monarchy's exile to France.

What ruined the book for me was its portrayal of Nell. The character comes across as somewhat flat, very annoying, and completely dependent on the many men in her life. There's no way that the real-life woman who was able to rise through society and capture the attention of the king wouldn't be strong, personable, and intelligent, and I wish that the Nell in the book had shown more of that strength (and that she had just in general been more likeable).

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exit the Actress is the first book in a long time where I have sacrificed much-needed sleep in order to read. Historical fiction is my favorite genre. When you combine that genre with an epistolary writing style, as Exit the Actress does primarily through journal entries and letters, it makes me swoon. This format offers a unique insight into the writer's emotions and personality. There is also an familiarity that I enjoy - possibly a slight voyeuristic look into the character's head.

I now understand why Parmar often wrote about being able to introduce Nell to new readers. After reading the book and learning about Nell's character through her diary, I do feel like I was introduced to a living, breathing person. It was quite extraordinary. Nell was an amazing woman and I would have loved to have been her friend.

This novel also allowed me to learn a great deal about 17th century England. The letters between King Charles and his mother and sisters provided clarity on the setting and time period. In the history books, royalty and historical events are often overly sanitized. Exit the Actress successfully showed the humans behind the events.

I would recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction, those who like a good love story, or enjoy seeing a strong woman persevere. Exit the Actress was well worth the wait - Congratulations to Priya Parmar on her first novel. I am looking forward to what comes next!

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exit the Actress by Priya Parmar is a novel of diary entries, letters, playbills, gossip columns,and home remedies. Throughout the text Ms. Parmar brings to life Ellen Gwyn, once an "Oyster Girl", with an alcoholic mother and a sister who succumbed to prostitution, who became an actress and then the mistress to King Charles II.

I felt that most of the aspects of the text were seamlessly written. The diaries perfectly executed the voice of Ellen. I was intrigued by her character and enjoyed reading her perspective on the events of the novel. There was a strong historical significance and a strong significance to the characters.

I found this to be an excellent piece of historical fiction. I will definitely be looking for more novels by Priya Parmar in the future.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I completely enjoyed this story. It is written using actual letters and theater reviews from the era. The characters are well developed and since they are actual people, getting to know them increased my knowledge of the history of that time. I highly recommend.

[Margaret Dilloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous book. First time I've really sympathized with a mistress in a novel (or any other time).

[PK Reeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thundering applause for Exit the Actress! Bravo Priya! See Aisle B's review http://aisleb.tumblr.com/post/3055184...

[Bernadette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting historical fiction, would highly recommend.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nell Gwyn told in the form of journal entries and letters. Cute though I prefer a more traditional storyline.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.
I feel like this took me FOREVER to read, and I think that’s due to its dense, detail heavy narrative style. No doubt this book was heavily researched, but sometimes less is more! I enjoyed reading about restoration era theatre though!

[Kailea · Rating 4 out of 5]

After all the downers I've been reading lately, this piece of historical fluff was just what I needed. It is light, mostly happy, and easy to read. The different inserts throughout the novel (letters, recipes, remedies, notices etc.) were disrupting at first, but once I got used to them they rounded out the world nicely without intruding on the story.

[raney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining but 100 pages too long. I am an unabashed heaux for a king's mistress moment, and I did like Nell a lot (before she was slowly diminished to a giggling, vacuous sycophant by her ✨love✨ for Charles II). Restoration England is fascinating as well, and made a fun setting for a novel that I suspect took some serious liberties with the life of Ellen Gwyn.